Why Is My Air Conditioner Frozen?

By
Arco Comfort Air, LLC
|April 29, 2016

Your AC is certainly not supposed to get so cold that they freeze over! If you’ve got frost forming on your AC, or see that it is starting to build up ice, you definitely have a problem – but don’t sweat it. Arco Comfort Air has the solutions.

We could go into detail and break down the science of air conditioners for you – explain thermodynamics and the Joule-Thomson Effect – but you probably didn’t come here to be trained in AC sciences.

There ARE practical reasons that your AC might be freezing over, and they aren’t really all that complicated – but rather than drag you through the gauntlet of learning the science of air conditioners, it seems more helpful to just address how you can fix the problem.

Basically, your air conditioning unit has Freon in its system. When you see the unit start to freeze over, it could mean that something is causing that Freon to expand more than it was designed to. Alternatively, something may be preventing the heat in your house from transferring to your system.

The question still stands: what can you do to fix it?

Of course, we want you to do whatever you are most comfortable with, and if that means calling an HVAC technician and asking for help, then kudos to you for cutting to the chase and taking the steps to end your problem!

For the troubleshooting type, however, there are some tricks you can use that might easily solve your freezing AC. If you’ve read any of our other blogs, you’ll see the recurring theme that regular upkeep and maintenance will help you avoid big problems with your HVAC unit.

What does regular upkeep and maintenance entail?

Before we get to that, it is important to know that you shouldn’t be running your AC when the temperature outdoors is too low. Anywhere below 62 degrees is too cold. If you are running it in the colder weather, shut it down for a while (until it gets warmer) to see if that takes care of the problem.

If it is warm enough outside, you’ll first want to check the filter. If the air filter is dirty and clogged with debris, it can cause your system to lose proper airflow and drop below adequate temperatures, in turn causing your AC to freeze over. Keeping that filter clean will help prevent these issues.

Checking the evaporator coil inside of the unit also a good idea. If it has collected a lot of debris and looks dirty, there might not be enough airflow across it, causing your AC’s temperature to drop too low and eventually freeze up. Cleaning the coil may be the key, and it is a good idea to keep this part clear of debris regardless, as it can lead to more serious problems if left unchecked.

A less likely issue, but worth it to check all the same, is extremely dirty air ducts. If your air ducts are dirty to the point of losing airflow, then the unit will drop in temperature and freeze over, just as it would if the airflow were restricted over the evaporator coil or through the air filter. If your ducts are that dirty, you could probably use an air duct cleaning, and we’d be happy to help you with that!

Arco Comfort Air is equipped to deal with all of these issues, and if you’ve tried all of the suggestions we’ve listed without success, your AC unit probably needs to be serviced by a professional.

You don’t have to feel like a failure if you need to call in a technician! We are happy to help, and we want to educate you on what can be done to prevent future issues. Give us a call today and let us help you remain comfortable in your own home!